Eastern Illinois (0-3-1) vs. Bradley (1-1-3) 

Friday, September 11 

3 p.m. at Charleston, Ill. (Lakeside Field) 

Live Stats I ESPN+

ON TAP: Eastern Illinois will look to close its four-match homestand on a high note Friday afternoon when the Panthers host in-state opponent Bradley University at Lakeside Field. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. 

CLOSEOUT HOMESTAND: Eastern Illinois men's soccer will close out its four-match homestand Friday, September 11, when the Panthers welcome Bradley to Lakeside Field. The match marks EIU's final home contest before the Panthers hit the road for matches at Chicago State and Marshall. 

LOOKING FOR FIRST WIN: The Panthers enter Friday's matchup at 0-3-1 on the season and will be looking to turn their competitive performances into their first victory of 2026. EIU opened the season with a 4-2 loss to Omaha before dropping a 2-1 decision to Wright State and playing St. Thomas to a 1-1 draw. The Panthers most recently fell 2-1 to Northern Illinois on September 5. 

OFFENSIVE OPPORTUNITIES: Eastern Illinois has continued to create opportunities throughout the opening matches of the season. Against Northern Illinois, the Panthers held an 18-13 advantage in shots and earned seven corner kicks. Sergej Misic led EIU with five shots, while Adam Boykin added three. Bernardo Hanel scored his first goal of the season in the 81st minute to bring the Panthers within one, but EIU was unable to find the equalizer. 

HANEL FINDS THE NET: Hanel provided a spark off the bench against Northern Illinois, scoring his first goal of the season in the 81st minute. The Panthers will look to carry that offensive momentum into Friday's matchup against Bradley as they continue searching for their first multi-goal performance since opening night against Omaha. 

ECKER'S LEADERSHIP: Andre Ecker will continue to play an important role in the Panthers' backline. Ecker brings veteran experience to an EIU defense that also features standout defenders Patrick Osilaja and Joao Peres. His leadership and communication will be important as the Panthers look to limit Bradley's attacking threats. 

HEAD COACH: Eastern Illinois is led by head coach Ruy Vaz, who is in his second season with the program. Vaz guided the Panthers to an 8-8-3 record in 2025, their highest win total since 2007. EIU finished 5-3-2 in Ohio Valley Conference play and advanced to the conference tournament quarterfinals. 

BRADLEY: Bradley enters Friday's matchup with a 1-1-3 record following a 1-1 draw against Western Illinois. The Braves earned their first victory of the season on August 30 with a 5-3 win over Green Bay. Bradley opened the year with a 2-2 draw against DePaul, played Butler to a scoreless draw and suffered a 4-0 loss at Omaha before defeating Green Bay. 

COUGHLON LEADS ATTACK: Senior forward Mitch Coughlon is one of Bradley's top offensive threats. Coughlon recorded seven goals and two assists during the 2025 season and has already found the net twice this year. He also scored the game-winning penalty kick against Green Bay after helping the Braves rally from a 3-2 deficit. 

BRADLEY HEAD COACH: The Braves are coached by Tim Regan, who is in his third season at the helm. Bradley returns 14 players from last season's squad and will look to build on an offense that scored in 14 consecutive matches during the 2025 season. 

KEYS TO THE MATCH: 

LIMIT BRADLEY'S ATTACKING THREATS: Coughlon has already demonstrated his ability to find the back of the net this season. EIU's defense will need to limit Bradley's opportunities and prevent the Braves from building offensive momentum. 

CONTINUE CREATING CHANCES: The Panthers have shown an ability to generate scoring opportunities, including an 18-13 shot advantage against Northern Illinois. EIU will look to continue putting pressure on opposing defenses while converting more of its chances into goals. 

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF HOME FIELD: Friday's match marks the Panthers' fourth consecutive contest at Lakeside Field. EIU will look to use its home-field advantage to earn its first win of the season and close the homestand on a positive note. 

SERIES HISTORY — BRADLEY: Friday's matchup renews a long-running in-state series between Eastern Illinois and Bradley. The two programs have met more than 30 times, with Bradley holding the historical advantage. The Panthers' most recent meeting with the Braves came in 2023, when EIU hosted Bradley at Lakeside Field. 

With both teams looking to gain momentum early in the season, Friday's in-state matchup provides Eastern Illinois with another opportunity to earn its first victory of 2026 and finish its four-match homestand on a high note.